


Common Sense Ain't Common Sense When You Come To Mind

by xLoveMx



Series: Play This From The Heart [9]
Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, caswell - Freeform, ej x ricky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:00:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28986744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xLoveMx/pseuds/xLoveMx
Summary: They weren’t really fighting.  In fact, they really just weren’t talking, and somehow Ricky found that to be even worse.
Relationships: Ricky Bowen/E.J. Caswell
Series: Play This From The Heart [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1599994
Comments: 8
Kudos: 33





	Common Sense Ain't Common Sense When You Come To Mind

**Author's Note:**

> FINALLY.  
> These boys...I just love them a whole lot and I want them to be happy, so enjoy the conclusion to this three parter in the series and let me know what you think x

They weren’t really fighting.

In fact, they really just weren’t talking, and somehow Ricky found that to be even worse. At least when they were fighting, he had a reason to yell and be mad at EJ, but right now he found that he was only mad at himself for not being able to actually sit down and talk about his feelings. Surely it wasn’t something he could actually control, but he had been so sure that things had gotten better after the breakup with Nini, but he was apparently still pretty good at self-sabotaging.

There had been some more yoga and some weird trust exercises, where Ricky had to really force himself to pay attention, so he didn’t just drop Gina onto the floor. He could tell that she knew something was up from the way she was looking at him every now and then, her expression switching between worried and slightly annoyed whenever she had to step in and block his line of sight towards EJ, who had been partnered with Carlos. She didn’t say anything though, and a part of Ricky was thankful for that, because he really didn’t know how he was supposed to explain what he was feeling.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, he eventually began picking up the remaining few plates to put them into the dishwasher. Ashlyn and Big Red had taken care of dinner tonight, and because Ricky still couldn’t find the right words, ignoring the way EJ had been trying to catch his eyes during the meal, he had offered to do the dishes and clean up while everyone else decided what movie they’d be watching.

“How’s that French accent coming along?” Carlos’ voice right next to him startled him to a point where he almost dropped a plate, just barely managing to catch it before it fell into the sink and shattered.

“Jeez, no need to scare me like that,” He shook his head, before eventually putting the plate away and closing the dish washer.

“I said your name about five times, Ricky. You looked like you were somewhere else entirely,” Carlos continued, not seeming to be very impressed at all. “So, how’s that accent coming along?”

Ricky suppressed a groan as he leaned against the counter, briefly considering just leaving. Maybe Carlos was the right person to talk to though, because while they were friends, there was none of the emotional baggage between them. Nini had always given him great advice, and they had become closer since breaking up, but he still wasn’t quite sure how to approach the whole thing with her on a deeper level. “Terrible?” He eventually offered, directing his attention out the window instead of towards the other boy.

“I’ve always been kinda terrible with accents? Like...I mean. I thought I wasn’t, until I completely butchered that one accent and now it seems like I’m doing the same with this one, even though I’m trying really hard to get it right.”

“Have you considered that you’re maybe trying too hard?” Carlos’s question threw him off enough to actually turn and look at his friend, confusion clearly visible on his face. “I’m just saying. Sometimes you focus on something so hard that it becomes way more important than it actually is. So what if your accent is slightly off? It doesn’t have to be perfect; nobody expects it to be, especially not if this is your second attempt. The whole production isn’t going to go down the drain because you mess up one step or line. You simply have to take a deep breath, pick yourself up and continue. The show must go on,”

“Wait. Are we actually talking about accents now?” Ricky blinked, his head spinning just a little from all the metaphorical talk.

“Look,” Carlos added, sighing, “I’m just saying: Whatever it is that’s going sideways with you and EJ? Don’t let it derail your whole relationship. These past few months have been the happiest I have seen you both, and it would be a shame to let that all fall apart. Just...maybe trust EJ to pick you up and get you back on track if you slip,” He offered a smile then, reaching out to pat Ricky’s shoulder. “Also, we’re watching _Beauty and the Beast,_ so whenever you’re done here, come join.” And with that he turned and walked out, leaving Ricky to clean the rest of the kitchen by himself.

-

By the time he managed to actually settle down on the massive couch with everyone else, Gaston had just finished singing his self-indulgent song. He had heard everyone singing along as he approached, with Seb getting really into character. It was quite endearing to see, actually, because as much as he was easing into becoming a theatre kid, he would have probably put less effort into the whole thing if it had just been a sing along.

EJ, who was sitting on the opposite end of the couch, wasn’t meeting his eyes, and Ricky really couldn’t blame him.

He himself had tried his best to avoid eye contact all day, and now he was paying the price. About ten minutes in, when he was trying his best to concentrate on the movie, he felt Nini nudge him, and turning his attention towards her, he caught sight of his boyfriend getting up and making his way away out of the living room.

“Shit...” Ricky cursed under his breath, and Nini rolled her eyes.

“Will you go now?” She made a shooing motion with her hands, and before he even had a chance to think about it, Ricky found himself on his feet, following the other boy. This house was too damn big though, because after he had unsuccessfully tried EJ’s room, and the kitchen, Ricky found himself a little lost. Was there a favorite room EJ had besides his own? He felt stupid all of a sudden, because he hadn’t even asked, too preoccupied with his own problems to see past them.

Sighing, he leaned against the bannister of the stairs, only then noticing the faint sound of a piano playing. He instantly recognized the tune, not only because it was the most recognizable one from that musical, but also because it had been the first one they had sung together, and the song that had made Ricky question everything he thought he had known.

Following the music down into the basement he was struck by the sight of EJ at the piano eventually, seemingly lost in the music, and Ricky found his heart missing a beat.

A few months ago, it would have been impossible for them to be in the same room, and now it almost pained him to not be around EJ. It was a realization that hit him so suddenly that it made his chest tighten to a point where it was getting hard to breathe.

He had been in love with Nini and losing her had shattered the world he had known. It sounded very dramatic, and he half blamed the drama club for it, but it had really felt like that back then, so much so that he had joined the school musical to win her back, even though that had probably been his worst idea to this date. Not that Ricky regretted it, because it had led him to a group of friends he would have otherwise never found, and to EJ, but it had still been one hell of a ride.

Still, he had been through losing Nini, and it had turned his world upside down, and he wasn’t ready to lose EJ in the same way.

“Are you just going to stand there?” EJ’s voice pulled him from his thoughts and Ricky could feel himself blushing just a little as he quickly made his way over. The other boy was still playing but had scooted over on the bench to make room.

Settling down, Ricky ignored the way his heart was aching just a little at the callback of that time they had sung together for the first time. It had been the first time after Nini that he had sung with someone and enjoyed it, the first time he had realized that, maybe, EJ wasn’t such a bad person, and the first time he had wondered what it felt like to kiss a boy.

“I’m sorry.” He eventually found himself saying, watching as EJ stopped playing to look at him, almost expectedly. “I just...I know I’m bad at talking about my feelings, because it scares the hell out of me, but I also know it’s not good, because I think my parents were bad at talking about their feelings too, and we both know where that ended,”

He could feel tears pooling in his eyes all of a sudden, as he looked down at the keys, trying his best to keep his emotions in check. For someone who was good at avoiding his feelings, Ricky sure as hell was bad at hiding them.

“Hey.” EJ had reached out, his hand coming to rest on top of the other boy’s. “Don’t...I mean. I’m not exactly good at it either. I can sing about them, but I tried writing you a song and really, you don’t want to hear that,”

“No, actually, I do.” Ricky glanced up to meet his eyes for what felt like the first time this weekend, and EJ smiled.

“Maybe another time. I just...I wanted to have a nice weekend with my boyfriend, and that’s on me for thinking we could ignore all of this,” He gestured between them, “any longer.”

Sighing, Ricky carefully intertwined their fingers, glancing down for a moment. “It’s just...the last time I was with someone, and we spent time apart, we broke up. And that was just the summer. You’re going to college and New York isn’t exactly around the corner. And we didn’t even...” He trailed off, feeling his chest tighten at the words he had been meaning to say for so long.

“So, what you’re saying is that you don’t think we can make a long-distance relationship work, so you’re going to end it before it can break your heart?”

“If you say it like that, it sounds stupid,” Ricky huffed, attempting to keep the tears from falling.

“It’s not. Well...maybe it is. It seems to be stupid to everyone else, because Gina yelled at me for it,” EJ continued with a sigh, “But...she’s not wrong. I mean...I don’t want to break up with you. I’ve never actually felt this way before.” Ricky found himself glancing up at the other boy once more, blinking the tears away.

“Like...what?” It seemed like a strange question, but he had been through a range of emotions ever since meeting EJ, and those words could literally mean anything at this point.

“Like...I don’t know. I want to be around you all the time, and when I’m not, I miss you. Whenever we don’t see each other I want to text you and tell you about my day. I want you to come to my games and I want to come and pick you up and drive around with no real destination, singing along to the radio,”

“...until we eventually end up at McDonald’s because we’re hungry.” Ricky finished the sentence with a smile, his eyes meeting EJ’s. There was a pause, just a heartbeat, before he continued, “I love you.”

In the end it was less spectacular than he would have imagined it to be, but also less terrifying. Surely, there was a slight chance that EJ didn’t feel the same about him, and that the other boy was going to break his heart, but somehow Ricky had realized that it wouldn’t change a thing about how he felt. He was in love with EJ, and that wasn’t going to change, no matter the other boy’s response to it. All he had done so far was waste time being anxious, when he could have just enjoyed being with his boyfriend.

“And...you don’t have to say it back. I was worried you wouldn’t, but I realized that I can’t control other people’s feelings and I don’t want to spend the rest of our time together moping around or fighting, I want...” He didn’t make it any further than that, because EJ was kissing him, almost throwing him off balance, and Ricky nearly toppled off the piano bench.

“I love you too,” the other boy then muttered, pulling away just far enough to speak, “I’m sorry I didn’t say it earlier. I’ve never been...I’ve never...” He chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m in love with you. I didn’t think I was going to be. In fact, I thought hell was going to freeze over before anyone actually fell in love with me, but then you came along and turned everything upside down. I’m glad you went from wanting to kill me to wanting to be with me,”  
Now Ricky was chuckling as he leaned in closer to brush their noses together. “Yeah well...I still want to kill you sometimes, but I want to kiss you more.” He could feel his heart beating out of his chest, unable to stop smiling, even when EJ pulled him in for another kiss.

“Well, I live to serve,” The other boy chuckled, and then it was Ricky’s turn to shut EJ up with a kiss.


End file.
